Remembering You
by Jatoshi
Summary: Waking up along the edge of small creek, Ludwig realizes he has no memory beyond his name and age. Now, with the help of his new found friends, he is out to remember who he is. The answer may prove more complicated than any of them could have imagined. GerIta
1. Chapter 1

The light hit Ludwig's face at the perfect angle to wake him from his deep slumber. He grumbled, tossing and turning until he found a suitable spot to return to sleep. That is until a deep breath resulted in him inhaling a large quantity of muddy water. He quickly sat up, coughing and struggling to catch his breath.

"Scheisse," He mumbled, the incident leaving him with a very irritated throat and eyes. For the first time, he managed to take a look at his surroundings. He sat in the midst of a small clearing, surrounded by a dense forest. Under him passed a small creek, that left the majority of his body soaked and muddy. He stood, beginning to wipe the unwanted filth off of him. Where was he? He searched the bank around him for any signs of footsteps. Surely some would have been left in the thick mud when he arrived. But there was no indication of him ever entering the creek. And there was no memory that could begin to point him in the direction he had arrived from.

With his lack of knowledge, Ludwig began to wonder the small clearing and think. His name was Ludwig. He was twenty years old. But he bore no other memory of his life prior to waking. His occupation, birthday, family... He couldn't even come across his full name.

Growing frustrated, he began to survey the forest around him. It wouldn't be a pleasant walk, no doubt filled with thorns and poison ivy. But in his laps around the clearing, he noticed one thing. Litter. Someone had to visit the clearing often, and he highly doubted they braved the forest each time. Keeping the thoughts in mind, he walked the edge of the clearing once more, carefully inspecting it for any makeshift paths. And he found exactly what assumed he would. It was a thin path, carved by foot that he was sure would lead him to some form of civilization.

The path was not long, but took enough twists and turn to assure Ludwig he would have remained lost in the forest without it. In less than ten minutes he assumed, he arrived at a paved road that allowed him to see the faded outline of buildings in the distance. Though he was unsure of where he would go or what he would do when he arrived, Ludwig walked.

At the sound of an old motor coming from behind him, Ludwig glanced over his shoulder. A beaten, red truck slowly pulled up beside him, sounding as if it could fail at any moment. The body was heavily dented and a new paint job was desperately needed, but Ludwig assumed the car was still loved by the old, white haired man he could see through the cracked windshield.

"Oi," The truck came to a complete stop beside Ludwig, revealing the driver to not be an old man, but a young albino, somewhere in his twenties. "Where'd you find all that shit to roll in?" He smirked widely, his eyes gleaming with arrogance. Not wanting anything to do with the taunting man, Ludwig returned to his walk.

"You homeless?" The albino man asked, keeping up with Ludwig's pace in his truck. "It's a small town, you know. Everyone knows everyone and I don't know you." He paused, awaiting any answer from Ludwig. "My name is Gilbert, Gilbert Beilschmidt. But you can call me the most awesome person you have ever met, because I am. Gotta name? Or are you a homeless mute?" He paused again. "Do any tricks for money?"

"Please leave me alone."

"So you aren't mute. And I thought I'd found myself something pretty cool." Gilbert sighed, stopping his truck once more. He leaned over, unlocking the passengers side. "Get in, shit-face. I'm calling you that, by the way. Until I get a damn name."

"Excuse me?" Ludwig stopped, raising an eyebrow at the man. Gilbert continued to smirk, motioning him to get inside. Though he didn't want much to do with such an narcissistic man, Ludwig found himself getting into the truck. "Where are we going?" He asked as he buckled himself in.

"My house. Get you a shower and a meal. You look like you can use it, and since you got in, you accepted." Gilbert began to drive again. "Though I should warn you about Elizabeta, or Liz as I call her. She's my girl, and she gets mad at, well, everything. Bringing in a homeless man will seriously tick her off. Only since I did it though. If that bastard Rodrich did, it'd be the greatest thing ever." He continued to complain as Ludwig glanced out the still open passenger's side window. The town they passed through really was small, and none of it brought back any memories for him.

"Then there's Feliciano, my roomie, He gets home from work late, so unless your staying the night, you won't meet him. But if you do... Well, it'll be a surprise, shit-face."

"My name is Ludwig."

"Sure it is, shit-face." Gilbert's smirk grew as Ludwig sighed in annoyance.

* * *

A/N: First story! Woo! All reviews are welcome.

Scheisse = Shit in German

I don't own Hetalia. If I did, would I be writing fanfiction?


	2. Chapter 2

"Welcome to my awesome abode." Gilbert pulled into the rock driveway, facing the old one-story home. It was a creamy white, with vines just growing long enough to begin chocking the front windows. Overgrown bushes bordered the home, slowly succumbing to the onslaught of wisteria growth. A medium-sized tree grew in the yard, its branches just long enough to scrape the roof. The home would impress no one, but Gilbert looked at it with the upmost pride.

Ludwig stepped out of the truck and took in the sight as Gilbert unlocked the front door. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting, but this wasn't it. Though the home and the truck matched perfectly, neither matched Gilbert. Of course, he had only just met the man, so he pushed the thought away as he entered the home.

The living room wasn't large, but was crowded with an old computer desk and monitor, love seat, coffee table, TV and a small piano. Despite being crowded, it was far cleaner than Ludwig had imagined after seeing the exterior. Only a magazine resting on the couch and a water bottle on the table spotted the room. Gilbert motioned for Ludwig to wait before disappearing into a back room. Moments later he returned with a towel and set of clothes.

"Gotta clean before Liz gets home, so the grand tour will wait." He stated, handing the objects to Ludwig. "Bathroom is on the first door to your right. I take it you don't need any help with that, right?"

"No, thank you." Gilbert rolled his eyes, quietly laughing as he left the room. Ludwig made his way to the bathroom, taking in the rest of the house as he did. There wasn't much to the home, aside from the small kitchen, bathroom and various closed doors he assumed to be bedrooms. But despite its size, it was seemingly cozy.

No particular part of the house caught his interest until he arrived at the bathroom door. Beside it, a door hidden back in a corner was left slightly open. It was impossible to make out anything that filled the room, but Ludwig was certain it was another bedroom. He stopped for a moment, pondering entering the door that somehow intrigued him. But as the complete stranger he was to the owner, it was best not to be found snooping.

Undressing and stepping into the shower, Ludwig began to wonder how he could explain his situation to Gilbert. He was not the most likable man, but he had already gone out of his way to help Ludwig. Perhaps he could help him remember himself, as strange as it sounded. He let the water rush over him, its warmth causing him to grow tired. It was the first time he realized how fatigued he was. Sleeping on the ground was not the best for his body.

XxX

"There is a homeless man in my shower..." Gilbert leaned against the wall, watching as Elizabeta paced back and forth from the car to the kitchen. This was her thing, doing something as she griped. Whether it be cooking, washing dishes, or cleaning. Today was putting away the groceries.

"Did you get Cheetos or store brand? You know how I feel about store brand." Gilbert attempted to move her mind onto a different subject, though he knew any efforts were futile. This was Elizabeta. She wasn't one to get distracted and forget.

"There is a homeless man in my shower. My boyfriend let a homeless man in my shower." Yes, Elizabeta was pissed.

"What about soda? And he never said he was homeless." Gilbert stated, stepping away from his wall and scanning the bags to avoid eyesight.

"Excuse me?!" Elizabeta dropped the bags she currently held and turned to the albino man. Though Gilbert was turned away, he could feel the icy glare of her emerald eyes on him. It caused goosebumps.

"I guess he was homeless. He never agreed or disagreed. These are store brand!" Gilbert pulled cheese puffs from a bag and turned to face his girlfriend. It was a horrible idea, but a man had to stand his ground. "Cheetos, Liz!"

"What do you know about this man?!" Realizing once again distraction was a lost cause, Gilbert took a breath and prepared for the worst.

"His name."

"...Just his name." Elizabeta's glare turned to a look of pure disbelief. "Gil, I know you are an idiot, but this man... He could be a serial killed or a drug dealer. And since when do you help random men you find on the street? I can't believe this..." She placed a hand to her forehead, shaking it slowly. "Gilbert..."

"Liz, listen." Gilbert stepped forward, grabbing his girlfriend hand and meeting her eyes. The annoyance in them was still harshly visible. "You may not understand, but... His name is Ludwig."

"I don't know what to do with you, Gil... You know he isn't-"

"Just let me do this. It'll be fine, I swear."

"I hate you, Gilbert Beilschmidt." Elizabeta pulled her hand away and returned to the groceries. Gilbert allowed a smile to cross his face. It was a once in a lifetime victory.

XxX

Ludwig stared at himself in the mirror with disgust. He was certain the clothes Gilbert had given him were too small for even him. But it was better that the filth-covered rags he previously wore. He slicked his hair back, taking a long look at himself. It was strange, even forgetting what your face looked like. He was grateful to have the knowledge of it now, though he couldn't quite call it a memory.

He returned down the hallway and into the kitchen, arriving upon Gilbert and the woman he assumed was Elizabeta. They stood in the midst of plastic bags, arguing over what appeared to be a bag of chips. A bag of chips that were not on Gilbert's good side.

"Shit-face!" Gilbert smiled as he noticed Ludwig's presence in the room. He tossed the bad aside, his previous argument forgotten. "Liz, this is shit-face. Shit-face, this is the woman who you'll never be able to touch with your lack of awesome."

"Ludwig, not shit-face." Ludwig stated, reaching out a hand to shake Elizabeta's. She stared at him for a moment, seeming slightly stunned, before taking it.

"Elizabeta, unless you'd like to call me Liz. It's a pleasure, Ludwig." She lightly squeezed his hand before moving away, taking in a sharp breath. "I'll get your clothes washed for you." She lightly smiled as she took the muddied clothes from Ludwig's arms and left.

"Ain't she cute? But she's mine, so no funny ideas. Already have Rodrich to look out for." Gilbert huffed, moving to the fridge and scanning its contents. "I guess you can have her when she's pissed. That's a good deal."

"No." Gilbert laughed loudly, pulling out a pack of sausage and turning on the stove. Ludwig cleared his throat, still unsure of what to say to the man. "Gilbert," He began, regaining the attention and eyes of the albino.

"What?" He asked. "Don't tell me you're a vegan. That don't work in this house."

"No, it's not that. I..."

"Out with it, shit-face."

"I'm not homeless. That I know of, at least." Gilbert rolled his eyes, returning to his cooking. "I woke up in that forest and I couldn't remember anything other than my name." Ludwig took a breath, realized to have gotten the words out there.

"That sounds like a problem." Gilbert stayed looking at the meat, before a smirk grew onto his face. "I'll just have to help you figure it out then. I could use some excitement. Mystery man wakes up in forest, small town hero returns his memories. I like that headline."

"You really will?" Ludwig raised an eyebrow at the man, unsure with his slightly childish comeback.

"Do I sound like I'm kidding? The awesome me needs to be known more. Helping you will help me, shit-face."

"...Thank you?"

"Whatever, shit-face."

* * *

A/N: I should mention that I will never have an equal time between updates. Though I hope they'll never be long. :) Thanks to all those who favorited and followed!

I don't own Hetalia.


	3. Chapter 3

The hours at the restaurant could be long and tedious, with a pay that barely made up for it, but as the aspiring chef he was, Feliciano could not complain. Besides, it was his childhood friend's restaurant he had the pleasure of working at. And Antonio did his best to appease his staff. Feliciano was learning everything the Spaniard knew to make up for his lack of culinary training, and he was eternally grateful for it. But nonetheless, today's work left him exhausted, and sleep was the one thing he desired from his home. Even more than the pasta Elizabeta had told him she was going to prepare for dinner. And the surprise Gilbert had mentioned in a text earlier in the day.

He pulled into the driveway of the home he shared with his roommate and roommate's girlfriend. It was well after nine, so he tried to move from the car to the house as silently as possible. He had no doubt Gilbert and Elizabeta were still awake, but he wouldn't dare to wake his elderly neighbors. They had such a scary dog...

He shook the memory away as so he fumbled with his keys, opening the front door quietly and slipping inside. The living room was vacant, which was strange for this time. Normally Elizabeta would be watching TV as Gilbert played in the computer, or something of the sort. Maybe they had gone to bed early...

"The tomato garden...? I don't have time to work with tomatoes, Tony." Feliciano stopped before he entered the kitchen, listening to the conversation Gilbert was holding over the phone. He looked as if he was growing rather annoyed with the man on the other end, but was doing his best to negotiate. "You know what, fine. Tomato garden it is. You're planting it though and if it dies, it ain't on me." Gilbert hung up, shoving his phone into his pocket as he mumbled a few swear words under his breath.

"I'm home, Gil!" Feliciano stepped into the kitchen, waving his arms above his head, as was his normal entrance. Gilbert's scowl quickly turned into a smile when he saw the man. He leaned against the kitchen counter, taking a long silent look at Feliciano. "Gil?"

"You are off work tomorrow." Gilbert stated, wasting no time asking how the Italian's day had been. Not that he normally would. "Talked to Tony, he said it was cool." Feliciano's eyes widened at the news. He hadn't had a day off in forever, it seemed. He normally spent his scheduled day off in the kitchen, learning from Antonio. It was his schooling as much as it was work in his eyes.

"Why?" He asked, only to have Gilbert straighten up and leave the room. He soon motioned for him to follow, leading him to the room that belonged to Gilbert on the nights Elizabeta refused to spend with him. He stopped, slowly and quietly opening the door and revealing the blond that lay sleeping inside.

"That is why. I've got stuff to do, Liz can't get off work, so you get to take him around town. He needs some new clothes and stuff."

"Who is he?" Feliciano felt a catch in his throat as he looked at the man.

"A guy I found on the street today. Can't remembering a thing but his name. I call him shit-face, but you'll probably know him as Ludwig." It was clearly obvious why the man was in this home now. His looks, his name... Of course Gilbert would throw away his selfishness a moment to take care of him. Feliciano nodded slowly, unsure of what words he could say. Gilbert quietly shut the door, sending a large smile towards him. "Take good care of him, Feli."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the very short chapter, but we finally get into some GerIta next chapter! Thanks for the favs, follows and reviews! It's awesome!

I still don't own Hetalia. Maybe someday... No, probably not.


	4. Chapter 4

Ludwig had almost forgotten where he was the moment he woke up. The sun sprinkled through the window and landed straight onto his face, much like it had coming through the trees the day before. For a moment, he pictured himself back at that creek. But the covers that surrounded him were dry and warm, unlike the waters he had faced then. The previous day's events slowly came to mind once again, being the only memories he had. He heavily sighed. Yes, they were still the only memories. Though he had doubted sleep would help him, he did hope. But it was to no avail.

He removed himself from the coziness of the bed, checking the clock that hung on the wall and finding it to be just after eight. He had slept so long, even though his day had started so late and ended so early yesterday. But unlike yesterday, he felt more refreshed, so the thought of the lengthy sleep didn't bother him much.

"Awake already?" Elizabeta stood in his doorway, carrying a basket of clothes to her stomach. She leaned against the doorframe and loudly sighed. "I'm used to alone time at this hour. Gil and Feli are never up until I'm at work. But I guess if you're an early bird too, I'll survive." She lightly smiled, setting the basket down and pulling out the clothes Ludwig had arrived in yesterday.

"Right... Thank you."

"Anytime. Feli's taking you out shopping today." She held back a small laugh. "Between us, I'd get a few cups of coffee in before he does. He'll keep you on your feet for quite a while." Ludwig nodded and watched as the woman continued on with her early morning chores.

XxX

Ludwig sat at the kitchen table, sipping slowly from his first cup. It was so bitter. He'd seen Elizabeta add something to her's, but found it strange to be asking what. So he stayed with the extremely bitter drink. It had been about an hour since Elizabeta had left for work, leaving the house silent. Ludwig found himself growing slightly anxious as he waiting for Gilbert or Feliciano to emerge from their bedrooms. The day would be strange, spending it with a man he had yet to meet.

On cue with his thoughts, he heard a door open and close, followed by light footsteps down the hallway. Feliciano entered the kitchen, obviously having simply rolled out of bed and nothing more. With messy hair and only boxers, it was hard to tell if he was yet conscious. He sat at the table across from Ludwig, sparing him no glance as he laid his head down and promptly went back to sleep.

"Felicano...?" Slightly stunned by the antics, Ludwig lightly tapped the man's shoulder. He mumbled, moving away, much to his annoyance. If they were going shopping, they might as well get started as soon as possible. "Feliciano." Ludwig stated sternly grabbing his shoulders and moving him off of the table. Feliciano's eyes shot open, as he quickly pushed the blond' arms away. He stood, crouching behind the chair he once sat in, and held his hands over his head as if protecting himself.

"I'm sorry! Don't hurt me! It's so hard to wake up early... Don't hurt me! I'm a virgin, you know? Who would hurt a virgin?" Once again stunned by the man's performance, Ludwig let out a loud sigh. Feliciano glanced at him for a moment and moved his hands. "Ludwig... We haven't officially met!" With a complete flip of personality, the Italian stood once more and smiled brightly. "Feliciano Vargas, but since we're friends, you can call me Feli!"

"You thought I was going to hurt you and now we are friends?" Ludwig questioned, taking a long swig of his coffee. It was becoming more appealing now.

"Ve~ You didn't hurt me! So yes!" Feliciano's smile vanished once more as he let out a small gasp. "We're going shopping! I forgot! I should have been up by now, but no time like the present! Let's go!" He grabbed the blond's arm, attempting to drag him to the front door.

"Put clothes on first."

"Oh... Si!"

Feliciano scurried away, the sounds of his footsteps and the open-close of his door having a slight echo in the hall. The other man took the liberty of washing his mug during then, unsurprised to see the sink empty of dishes. As soon as the task was finished, he retook his seat at the table. He was in no position to tell the brunette to hurry, so he waited again and decided to take in his surroundings again. Memory didn't fail him this time as he recalled everything to be in the relatively same place.

"Okay, I'm ready now!" The body of the Italian man soon caught up with his voice and wore clean, neat clothes Ludwig assumed Elizabeth washed. He resumed where he left off, grabbing his arm and tugging. "It might be a small town, but there's still a lot to see and lots of clothes to try!" Ludwig allowed himself to be pulled out of the kitchen, past the living room and out of the worn house, listening to the other's loud chatter.

XxX

"Here we are! Even if we live on the outskirts of town, it's really easy to get here!" The walk was only about ten minutes and Ludwig took in all he could see. It had been a pleasant walk too as today felt like a nice day, besides his predicament. "I think I'll introduce you to my fratello first, so you can make more friends."

"Alright." There was nothing else to do but agree. Thus, he followed the bouncing brunette to what seemed to be a farmers' market.

"You know, the farmers' market doesn't come often. When it does, my fratello spends all day here, even if he hates farming! That's because he really likes cooking, just like my boss. Oh, I maybe should take you there next..." He continued on and on as the two made their way around, colorful stalls filled with colorful vegetation in their surroundings. A thought that festered in the blonde's head had to be voiced.

"Aren't you supposed to take me to get more clothes?" This stopped the excited Italian, but only for a second.

"Si! We'll do it after you meet Lovi! You're seeing most of the town here too." The latter looked around and saw that behind the stalls were dusty-looking stores. Many yearned for a new coat of paint or a new sign to hide their years of use. It was then he also noticed that the two of them and the rest of the townsfolk were walking in the streets.

"Not many cars come through here, ja?" This interrupted the Italian's words and he smiled.

"Ve~ You can guess?"

"We wouldn't be walking in the street otherwise."

"You're smart!" He released a carefree laugh, slightly startling Ludwig. "Si, that's one of the things I like about this town. Gil's the only one I can think of that drives so often. There are tons of animals that wander here too!" He started off on another tangent, something about cats and tomatoes... Ludwig released another sigh, but listened to his erratic words.

"Oi, idiota!" They stopped in their tracks and turned as an angry-looking man approached them. Feliciano held a smile still.

"There you are, fratello!" The man slightly resembling Feliciano raised his hand as if to strike at him.

"Don't 'fratello' me! Keep working yourself stiff and see what I'll do!" He hid behind Ludwig, as if he were a shield. In return, the man glared daggers up at him. "I wasn't going to hit you, Feli. Just who the fuck is this?"

"You are Feliciano's brother?"

"What's it to you?" Though he seemed to be intimidated, he stood his ground. Feliciano stood at Ludwig's side.

"Are you two friends now?" The other man scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"Hell no."

"His name was Lovi, you said?"

"Lovino to you, asshole." He sneered up at him, arms crossed over his chest. Something about this situation was akin to the one Gilbert and he were in, but the blonde was unsure as to what.

"My name is Ludwig." The short man stopped, frowning deeply. A moment later and he spoke again.

"I'll call you what I want. Feli, what are you doing with a potato-asshole like this?"

"Showing him around town!" He grabbed onto the tall man's arm and smiled again. A scoff left Lovino and he turned away from them.

"Leave him and get some rest. Ciao." The angry Italian man walked away, heading to a stall that held tomatoes.

"Potato...?" Ludwig released a loud sigh and felt a tug on his arm.

"Time to go clothes shopping!"

XxX

They ended up in one of the quaint buildings and the tall man stood by the smaller one as he quickly pulled clothes off racks. Clothes he practically forced him to hold.

"You sure he won't try to rape you?"

"Nope! He's my friend!"

"Sure he is."

Ludwig sighed, having had to endure this for over twenty minutes. The store owner sat on her stool at the register, smiling in an amused fashion. What was there to be amused about? Feliciano continued pulling out and replacing clothes, either forcing them into his hands or shoving them back onto the racks. The fabrics in his hands now piled high, almost towering over him. Surely it would take most of the day to try most of these on.

"Feliciano, I don't need many clothes." He eyed the white puffy shirt the shorter man had recently placed on the pile. "I'm certainly not going to like everything you've picked."

"But it's fun to try on clothes, si?" A pair of very colorful, tight-looking pants had suddenly been added and the manager burst out laughing. Feliciano smiled sincerely, causing Ludwig to shake his head.

"Then this is enough." The other revealed a few clothes hung on his arm and pointed to the back of the store.

"To the fitting room!"

He raised an eye at the singular word and thought it to be mispronounced, the Italian urging him to hurry. They passed by racks of clothes, the store much bigger than it looked outside. Men, women, teenagers, children, babies. Even a section for animals, though it was small. Ludwig wouldn't be surprised if this was the only clothing store in the town. They stopped walking, a single family-sized stall in front of them. Feliciano stepped in and beckoned the other man over with a wave of his hand. Ludwig looked around.

"... Where are the other stalls?" He tilted his head in confusion.

"Other stalls?"

"There are other fitting rooms, ja?"

"I don't think so... There's usually no reason to have two." He beckoned him again, offering a bigger smile this time. "Let's go together!"

"No thank you." Ludwig disagreed, staying outside with the absurd amount of clothes. "I'll wait until you're finished." He received a sad face in response.

"I-it'll be faster! Please?" The tall man couldn't contain a sigh and eventually joined him after much pleading. "Ve~ Grazie!" So eager man shut the door and locked it.

The two were now isolated in the family-sized stall. One wall was covered by a large and slightly dusty mirror, reflecting the men and their respective pile of clothes. Feliciano immediately began undressing, so Ludwig turned to face the opposite direction out of courtesy. Slender arms wrapped around him and his chest was exposed by Italian hands.

"You have to get naked too!" He dropped the hem and lifted again to emphasis. Flustered, the tall man turned to face him and became even more so. Felicano stood in his pasta boxers and smiled so warmly. "I'll feel lonely."

"Only if you face the other way." Saddened by that statement, he unusually complied.

Ludwig began undressing. However, as he pulled his shirt off, he felt eyes on his back. Looking over his shoulder, the feeling disappeared and he only saw Feliciano turned away. As the blonde looked to the clothes pile to sort, the same feeling from before washed over him. He was definitely being watched. His eyes wandered to the slightly dusty mirror and met the reflection of curious brown ones.

"You look really fit, you know." He looked at himself in the mirror again and took in his full profile. Toned muscles adorned his body, which still ached from his nap in the woods.

"I know."

"But I know you wouldn't hurt me. We're friends." Ludwig looked back at the mirror and caught a glimpse of Feliciano's odd-looking smile before it was replaced by a worried expression. "Is there something on my face? Don't tell me it's a bug!" The latter shook his head, finally deciding on a simple shirt and simple pants that were appropriate and fit. He turned to face the other.

"I think I'll get these." The Italian also turned and looked over him, as happy as ever.

"Those look good on you! Have you tried the rainbow butt-clinging pants yet?"

"No and I'm not going to." The response was laughter and he noticed he held nothing. "You aren't getting anything?" The brunette shook his head.

"I just wanted to try some on with you. Did you want anything else?" Ludwig motioned to another outfit similar to the one he had one. "Those?"

"Altogether, they shouldn't be too much. I don't want to burden you further." It slightly shocked him that he remembered simple arithmetic. For some reason, it more than shocked the other man.

"You know how to add?!"

XxX

After purchasing Ludwig's clothes, and after much ridicule from the store manager, the sun had dipped in the distance and it was late in the afternoon now. They left the store, the blonde man holding his bag of clothes and the brunette yawning.

"Mm, it's almost siesta time."

"Pardon?"

"I said it's almost siesta time!" He frowned upon see the other's confusion. "Si-es-ta..."

"Repeating it slowly won't help me understand what a siesta is."

"A nap! It's almost time to nap!" Ludwig's mentally degraded himself for asking. What good was napping if it didn't help his situation?

"Is there nothing left to see then?" A hum left him and he gasped.

"No, there is!" The energetic man left towards what might be the house and the tall man followed behind.

"We're going back?"

"Nope! Well, kind-a. I guess we are, haha!" What Ludwig felt now must have been some sort of fear.

They arrived back at the house quickly, but the Italian paid no mind. He followed a trail different than the one Gilbert and he had previously taken. Along this trail were more flowers than weeds and was much more appealing. In the meantime, Feliciano happily chatted about his job. He was a chef and his boss happened to know him and his brother when they were younger.

"I really should've brought you to meet my boss! He's so friendly and nice!"

"What's his name?"

"Antonio! He's Spanish and Gil calls him Toni and they both like to bother Liz. They have another friend too and-" He and his words stopped. "We're here."

Ludwig followed his gaze and was met with a spectacular field of flowers. All sorts of colors grew from the ground and the late sun's light seemed to add an ethereal touch. He glanced over to see Feliciano's reaction and saw a face that looked peaceful. The tall man's eyes wandered back to the field, enchanting him further. For a while, neither one spoke. When the silence was broken, it was done so by the brunette.

"Molto bella."

"Excuse you?" Their eyes happened upon each other, but it couldn't have been a coincidence.

"Very beautiful."

Could it have been? Maybe. Ludwig's head felt empty and without letting him know, filled itself with images of his smile. Feliciano turned away from the field and held his hands behind his back.

"Ve~ It's siesta time now, so our trip is done! Let's have another soon, okay?"

* * *

A/N: Next chapter is finally here! I'm so sorry about the long wait... Writer's block resulted in this chapter being mostly written by the lovely Take-dere. (So blame her! XD) With school starting, I make no promises on how long until the next chapter, but hopefully shorter than the wait for this one. Thanks for all the support and awesome reviews guys!

Though it's been a while, Hetalia still hasn't come into my possession.


	5. Chapter 5

Gilbert slouched in his chair as he waited for the sheriff to return from his office. It had taken so long for Feliciano and Ludwig to leave this morning, he thought he'd never make it out the door. But here he was, waiting for the report than had kept him from sleep the previous night. His eyes were heavy as he surveyed the small room. It looked nothing like a police station, being mostly empty and dust filled. Gilbert wasn't sure of the number of officers that actually took care if the place. Of course, the worst crime in such a small town was a cat up a tree, and that was handled by the fire station. So the lack of them wasn't much of a problem.

He found himself smiling as he remembered his childhood. There was a hard bench that once sat across the room from where he was now. The exact place it had been sitting was still visible on the tiles. That was where they would put him almost every day, every time he was caught doing who knows what. From annoying old lady Kirkland to stealing from that old gas station. And he'd wait there all day until his father finished work and could come pick him up. Then Vati would scold him the whole walk home, even though it never worked. His Vati...

"Dude, I know we need to do something about the space in here, but don't look that down about it." Gilbert hadn't notice his change in emotion until the sheriff entered back into the room, laptop in hand. Alfred Jones, known more as the self-proclaimed hero since birth than he newer work as the sheriff, smiled at him, taking a seat behind an old desk. Gilbert let his memories leave his mind and have a small smile back.

"So, what'd you find out?" He asked, expecting Alfred to immediately begin on how he saved the day. It would be the most interesting this of his career, even lasting only a day. But instead, he seemed puzzled.

"Nothing, Gil. No missing guys in our county or the next, by his name or even his description." Alfred adjusted his cap, avoiding any eye contact with Gilbert. "I mean, except... Yeah. But as awesome as that sounds, logically-"

"I know." Gilbert rolled his eyes, knowing exactly what he would say. It's what everyone always said, even before Ludwig had come. Logic was an ass. Alfred cleared his throat.

"I want to interview him, or send a guy to. Just to see if we can get anything else." Gilbert hated it when Alfred actually began to take his job seriously.

"I've told you everything he remembers."

"But questions could bring something back. Anything is worth a try, you know? The hero's gotta get this guy home as soon as possible!" Alfred shouted, ignoring the look of disapproval he received from Gilbert. "Bring him by tomorrow, deal?"

"Whatever."

XxX

"I'd feel better if I knew where we were going." Ludwig sighed as he and Gilbert walked the streets. They weren't as busy as the day before when Feliciano had taken him shopping, but a good number of people were still out and about. Gilbert walked a few steps ahead, his eyes in front, only taking glances around every now and then. Something seemed... off about him. Not only had he dragged Ludwig along with him without telling him their destination, he hadn't spoken a word about anything else.

"You didn't go eat at Toni's restaurant yesterday, right?" Gilbert finally spoke, quickly, not waiting for a response. "Let's go have some lunch there. You want to see Feli at work, right?" Though it sounded like a question, Ludwig was sure he didn't intend it that way.

"Um... Alright?" Ludwig stated, unaware of any other way to respond. He had been acting almost nervous around him since Feliciano and he had returned from their trip. Feliciano told him to not worry about it, but it still bothered him.

"I'll take my usual." Gilbert stated, once they were in the small restaurant and seated. The Spanish and Italian influence was hard to ignore, as the entire restaurant was heavily decorated. And despite it's size, the number of seats filled easily proved it's popularity. "Him too." Gilbert added, before Ludwig could even turn his attention from the restaurant to the menu before him. The waitress nodded, skipping her way back to the kitchen.

"It's nice." Ludwig looked around the area again, hoping to break the awkwardness that had grown between the both of them. "What are we getting?"

"You'll see when it gets here, shit-face." Gilbert glanced down at his phone. "How was yesterday? Feli's great, ain't he?"

"He's... something." Gilbert laughed, allowing relief to pass through Ludwig.

"He wouldn't shut up about you after you hit the bed last night. It was funny, but annoying as hell."

"I'm sorry?"

"You better be, shit-face."

"Ludwig, Gil!" Their attention turned to the joyful Italian emerging from the kitchen, a large pizza in hand. Feliciano stopped at their table, placing down the dish and smiling brightly. "I'm so glad you came to visit! You have perfect timing! It just came out of the oven. Antonio was worried it would go cold... But I knew you would be here right on time! He didn't tell me it was for you, but I guessed because I always know exactly what you want. I helped him with a lot of it! I hope you enjoy!"

"Danke." Gilbert smirked, leaving Ludwig to wonder if he had actually understood every word Feliciano had said. Feliciano nodded, giving both the men at the table a hug, Ludwig's lasting considerably longer.

"I hope you like it, Ludwig! You seem to like things Gil does, so I'm not worried!"

"I'm sure I will." Ludwig glanced around the restaurant, which had grown considerably quieter. Many faces now turned to them, watching as the young well known chef continued wasting his working hours hugging a stranger to the town. "You should get back to work, Feliciano."

"Oh, si! Ciao, Gil, Ludwig!" In the same manner as he came, Feliciano skipped back into the kitchen and the volume returned to the tables around them.

"Only been here two days and you've got a boyfriend..." Gilbert laughed, taking a large piece from the dish.

"Excuse me?"

"I was going to take you to do something that isn't awesome enough for me." Gilbert continued, ignoring his previous statement. "So we aren't."

"What was it?"

"Not even worth talking about, it's so unawesome. Eat your pizza and let's go home. My soap comes on soon." He glanced down at his phone once more, any hint of color that could have been in the albino's face fleeing.

"What happened?" Ludwig sighed, knowing by the anger quickly filling Gilbert's eyes that whatever news he just received could be nothing serious.

"That bastard Roderich's having a party."

* * *

A/N: New chapter with way less of a wait than the last! Woo! Thanks for all the favs, follows and reviews. Wouldn't be writing this if no one liked it.

Still don't own Hetalia. But the plan is coming to pass soon. Oh no. I've said too much already...


	6. Chapter 6

Though the sun had passed the horizon, Ludwig could still see his surroundings quite clearly. The forest that quickly passed as Gilbert drove at speeds much too fast for even the country road, the potholes that reminded him of the constant beating he received as he bounced in the bed of the truck, and the fabric that stretched across his body proving the suit he wore was in fact a few sizes too small. But despite the small bits of worry that creeped into him from all of this, he would rather keep his current situation than be sitting in the cabin on the truck, listening to the ongoing argument between Gilbert and Elizabeta. Ludwig couldn't remember them stopping for a breath since Roderich's party had been announced. And they showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

"Aren't they funny, Ludwig?" Feliciano sat himself at the man's side, having been standing and shouting something about feeling the wind for the majority of the ride. "Whenever we all go somewhere in his truck, they always sit up front and argue and leave me back here alone. But now I have you!" The Italian smiled, his wind-swept hair adding to his boyish qualities. Without the suit, no one would have been able to guess he was going to a formal event.

"I suppose." Feliciano's smile widened at the response, leaving Ludwig with a strange feeling. The man glanced around at the scenery in a state of awe though it hadn't changed at all since they had left town. Ludwig found himself staring at his companion until he spoke again.

"You know, we might bounce around less if we sit closer together." The brunette suggested, turning to make eye contact. Ludwig raised an eyebrow, gesturing to how they already sat shoulder to shoulder. He received a laugh. "Like this!" Feliciano shouted happily as he climbed into Ludwig's lap, giving him no time to disagree. Ludwig leaned back, stunned by the man's action.

"And wrinkle the suits." He stated, with no time to think of any other response to the proposal. The Italian laughed.

"Roderich doesn't mind a wrinkled suit! Mine is always wrinkled when I see him! You worry about too many small things, Ludwig." Felicano took a deep breath of the evening air, leaning his head against Ludwig's shoulder. Ludwig found himself surprised by the lack of awkwardness in the moment. In fact, it was rather enjoyable. He lightly smiled, wrapping an arm around the warm body that sat so close to him. Until the next bump rammed Feliciano's head into his chin, causing Ludwig to bite his tongue in a manner he was sure would sever it.

"Get off!"

XxX

Roderich's well kept garden and mansion-like home clearly stood out against the forest that surrounded it. It was strange knowing the nearest civilization was the small town Ludwig had come from. But the secluded area seemed peaceful and fitting from what he had heard about the man. Ludwig didn't know much, but from what he had managed to gather from Elizabeta and Feliciano, he knew he was a composer, living off the wealth of his father as he worked to make his own. Though his music was wonderful, he was most well known in town for hosting formal gatherings like the one they were attending tonight. And it was always the same fight to get Gilbert to attend.

The truck seemed very out of place, parked in front of the large home, but among the other worn down vehicles that surrounded it, it was at home. Feliciano emerged from the back, going on about the people Ludwig would be able to finally meet. Gilbert and Elizabeta had finally fallen into silence, Gilbert slouching in defeat and Eilzabeta with a victorious grin. Ludwig followed behind the three as they climbed up the stairs that led to the intimidating front doors. It swung open to greet them.

"Amigos!" A cheerful man, who Ludwig was almost certain was not Roderich, stood in the doorway, spreading his smile and arms as he began to embrace the guests. A hug for Elizabeta, a firm handshake and laugh for Gilbert, a second hug for Feliciano and a sudden stop in everything for Ludwig. Even his smile faded from his lips.

"Oh!" Feliciano gasped, grabbing a hold of Ludwig's arm. "You can finally meet my boss now! Ludwig, this is Antonio! Antonio, Ludwig!" Antonio's smile returned as he grabbed Ludwig's hand, shaking it roughly.

"I wondered when I'd meet this famous man. A pleasure to finally meet you, Ludwig. Feli's been talking about you nonstop, you know." He laughed.

"I'm sorry about that." Ludwig sighed, receiving more chuckles from the other man.

"We'll catch up later, Toni." Gilbert promised as other guests began to climb the steps after them. Antonio nodded and the group entered out of the doorway and into the large home.

The inside was just as extravagant as the garden, with fine furniture and art scattered about. Guests wandered, talking and laughing with whom they pleased. As they walked farther into the home, the sound of a piano played began to reach their ears.

"That must be Roderich." Elizabeta smiled, followed by a loud groan from Gilbert. "Go get us some drinks then." She huffed, lightly glaring at her boyfriend. "I'm sure Ludwig would like to come meet him with me, wouldn't you?" Though he wasn't happy about being asked, knowing either answer would anger one of his friends, Ludwig did want to meet the musician... Gilbert rolled his eyes, already expecting his unspoken answer, and moved to the drink table.

"Ludwig, let's go introduce you to more people!" Feliciano pulled at Ludwig's arm, ignoring Elizabeta's request for him to go with her. Elizabeta laughed, waving at the two men before going her own way towards the piano. Feliciano dragged Ludwig the opposite way, towards a table covered in large amounts of party foods, all looking as if they had just sprung from the cover of a magazine. "Francis must have catered! This looks like his!" Feliciano smiled brightly as he began to make himself a plate. "He's Gil and Toni's other friend, and since his company is in the city, he's not around much. But if he's here, you have to meet him!"

"Alright." Ludwig nodded, still in slight awe at the look of the food. A finger tapped his shoulder. He turned, finding Feliciano holding a small cake just in front of his lips.

"Try a bite! Everyone should have a taste of Francis's food. It really is amazing!" Ludwig felt his face heat up, but slowly nodded and took the cake into his mouth. The Italian waiting anxiously as he chewed and swallowed. "What do you think? Wonderful, isn't it?!"

"Yeah, it is." Ludwig wiped his mouth as Feliciano clapped with glee.

"You should try more then!"

"Oi, Feli, is that bastard hurting you?" Lovino emerged from a crowd to join them at the table, a wine glass in hand. He seemed to have already become slightly drunk, but he still glared Ludwig with all of his might.

"Of course not, fratello." Feliciano's patted his brother on the shoulder. "Are you having fun yet?"

"Fun? This is a party of perverts." He shifted his glare back to the others at the party. He seemed to focus on a certain three, two of which were Antonio and Gilbert. The third... "This whole town is filled with fucking perverts." Lovino went on before Ludwig could put a finger on the though he was going to have. He wanted to meet the third person, more than anyone else Feliciano had in store for him, more than the composer Roderich. He wanted to meet the man Lovino was accusing of being a pervert, and he had no idea why.

"Don't say that." Feliciano frowned, not paying any heed to his direction of view.

"I'll be back." Ludwig waved at the two brother's, starting towards Gilbert and Antonio. Loving grabbed his shoulder. His drunkenness was beginning to take more of an effect on his actions.

"Why would you want to go talk to those bastards?" He gasped, his glare becoming even harsher than before. "Unless you enjoy those sick jokes! Like hell I'm letting a pervert get close to my fratello. It was bad enough when you were a regular potato bastard!"

"N-no," Ludwig wasn't sure why he was lying. He had no reason to stay in good standards with Lovino, if you could have ever called them that. But here he was, telling him he had no want to speak with any of the three men across the room. "I was going to grab a drink."

"Whatever, asshole." He glanced at the empty drink in his hand. "Get me one too."

Ludwig felt a smile reach across his lips when he left into the still growing party crowd. He wasn't happy to have left Feliciano, but he could go without Lovino's constant insults. He glanced around himself. For such a formal event, it was tightly packed and he began to grow nervous. He looked to his destination, finding that Gilbert, Antonio and the man he wished to meet had vanished. He cursed under his breath and found his way to the drink table.

"Hello," He glanced up from the glass he had just grabbed, hoping to see someone he knew, but instead found a man offering him his hand. "I don't believe we have met before. Roderich Edelstein." The musician, a man Elizabeta adored while Gilbert hated. Ludwig shook his hand.

"Ludwig."

"Only Ludwig?" There was a moment of silence between the two. "Oh, you must be that Ludwig. The one staying with Gilbert. I must say, I'm surprised to see you alone. Though, it isn't really my place to ask, so don't feel the need to explain yourself."

"Alright," A small amount of relief filled Ludwig, knowing he wouldn't have to. He wasn't quite sure anymore.

"I've heard a lot about you from Elizabeta. I must say, you're a rather strange case. No memory whatsoever?"

"None."

"And you're one for quick responses, I see." Roderich smiled, leaving Ludwig unsure of whether the comment was intended to be an insult or a compliment. Their conversation was cut short by a woman approaching and asking Roderich for a dance. He accepted and excused himself. Ludwig took a sip of his drink, wondering why Gilbert hated him. He seemed to be a decent man, if nothing else.

"There you are, Ludwig!" Felicano returned to Ludwig's side, and in a second Ludwig's nervousness was obliterated. He lightly smiled at his friend. "You were going to bring Lovino a drink, weren't you? Did you get lost? I get lost at Roderich's parties a lot..."

"I'll get him one now." Ludwig stated, leaving the Italian to answer the questions he had asked. Felicano shook his head.

"He's talking to some pretty ladies now. He'll get really mad if you mess when he's talking. I can't even talk to them when he is, even if they are very pretty and I want to compliment them." He continued on the subject as Ludwig looked around the party once more. Every guest had arrived, he supposed. It could have been the whole town, by the looks of things. The home was loud with music and laughter. "-should dance." He raised an eyebrow as he caught the end of Felicano's sentence.

"Excuse me?"

"I said we should dance! Everyone in the back garden is!" He grabbed his friend's arm, pulling him along to the back of the home before he could protest. The back garden was large, and as Feliciano had said, full of people dancing in the moonlight. It was a very romantic setting, causing Ludwig to feel strange about being asked to dance.

"I'm not a good dancer." He stated as Felicano dragged him into the midst of other couples.

"How do you know? Do you have any memories of dancing?" Damn the man for being right. The moment before Felicano places his hands onto Ludwig, a voice called out to him.

"My little Feli!" They both turned, finding Gilbert, Antonio and the man to be smiling at them. It was the man who spoke, smiling and waving. Feliciano gasped, forgetting Ludwig's existence as he ran to greet him.

"Francis!" So it was Francis that he had been compelled to meet. Ludwig walked up to the group slowly, his thoughts beginning to race. There was something about that man, about Francis, that caused something to begin to come to mind. It was like seeing something in the corner of your eye but not quiet being able to see the whole thing. The reason for being so drawn to him alluded him the more he tried to come across it.

"Ludwig, this is Francis! Francis, this is my buddy Ludwig!" Felicano introduced them with the same excitement he had when he had seen him. Ludwig studied Francis's face for a long moment. The Frenchman raised an eyebrow before chuckling.

"My handsomeness has him in awe." He joked, receiving laughs all around. Ludwig blinked.

"I... I know you from somewhere."

* * *

A/N: Let's just been real for a second. I suck at uploading chapters with a decent amount of time in between. So let's think of every new chapter as a surprise. May come in three days, may come in three weeks. It's a surprise. Yeah, I like that.

It's been a while, but I still don't own Hetalia.


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